Perlite cut vs. straight coco - a documented trial w/ clones

[onegreenday]

Nice test Mr.BJ , very articulate in presentation.

Evidently the perlite gives more air space & nutrient holding
than straight coir.

Is that your conclusion also?

Would pumice or silica rocks instead of perlite offer similar results (your opinion)?
Thanks.

 

[ureapwhatusow]

invaluable research 4 the community

 

[High Jinks]

thanks for going all the way

 

[thatguy]

Would pumice or silica rocks instead of perlite offer similar results (your opinion)?
Thanks.

You know, there may very well be something to adding silica rocks instead of perlite, for the added silica

All the best,
TG

 

[forty]

i like big n chunky perlite.

 

[onegreenday]

Canna felt the need to add more airspace to their coco,
so now they make a coco mix of fines, threads & chunks of coco fibre,
then compress into slabs.

It's called Canna COGR.

 

[onegreenday]

that CocoTek looks like it is already a mix of fines, chunks & threads.
Not sure where you used that in the "study"

 

[onegreenday]

You know, there may very well be something to adding silica rocks instead of perlite, for the added silica

All the best,
TG

TG, pumice has some good micro nutrients.
Hawaii has pumice soils and may help their prolific plants.
I know they've studied pumice in grow situations
and it helps in a mix of the right proportion.

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

that CocoTek looks like it is already a mix of fines, chunks & threads.
Not sure where you used that in the "study"

The CocoTek was just a bonus plant, not really part of the trial. It's the plant labeled "mixed" in the pics.

Evidently the perlite gives more air space & nutrient holding than straight coir.

Is that your conclusion also?

Would pumice or silica rocks instead of perlite offer similar results (your opinion)?
Thanks.

I'm hesitant to make any real conclusions about why exactly the perlite/coco did better. A few possibilities, mostly soil benefits I believe hold true for coco, but which ones really made a difference is hard to say at this point.

About silica rocks or pumice - both are pretty similar to perlite structurally, very porous, so could likely have the same benefits. Looks to be about the same cost for pumice too.. I'm actually pretty interested in the pumice.. May have to order a bag or 2 and do another trial down the road, put it up against the coco/perlite.

 

[onegreenday]

nice.........pumice plays a big part in Hawaii herbs....
and how did the cocotek stand up?

 

[guest5703]

looks like I'm gonna have to try some perlite!

 

[thatguy]

onegreenday, nice point about the pumice! I never thought about how volcanic soils are so rich!!!

that CocoTek looks like it is already a mix of fines, chunks & threads.

Actually just started using that stuff on my most recent run I've put in flower. I use it in a recirc system, and so far I'm liking the cocotek more than any other type of coco I've used. It drains REAL well, and it doesn't need any flushing before use!

All the best,
TG

 

[John goodman]

defo try some perlite with my top drip coco system.. may even try a few without for your test...great info bro..thanks for sharing... hmm come to think of it always used it in soil back in the day lol

 

[onegreenday]

I imagine chuncky coco could be a substitute
for perlite,
if you want to stay OMRI all organic & coir.
It would have the air space and nutrient holding power of perlite.

 

[jordas]

Maybe I missed it........but what were the mix amounts of the coco and the perlite??
I mean was it a 50/50 mix of each or some differnet amount of each??
Thanks for the info Mr. B

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

Maybe I missed it........but what were the mix amounts of the coco and the perlite??
I mean was it a 50/50 mix of each or some differnet amount of each??
Thanks for the info Mr. B

Yea its in the first post, but no worries.. 30% perlite on the coco/perlite plants.

 

[crtoker]

Brilliant work Bojangles! I learned something of value bro. Thanks

 

[dirkdaddy]

great, great thread. thanks for the work!

 

[whodi]

thanks for testing it all out.

I've heard all perlite or 60% perlite / 40% coco is best... especially on a drip

 

[simple green]

Nice test...I had usually used Perlite cause I was used to it with soil and get it cheap....

Nice little research project !